Our Staff

Janet has been a communications and management consultant specializing in policy advocacy, strategic planning, executive and staff training, and education. She has been a key strategist and senior executive at a number of national organizations including PolicyLink, the National Urban League, and National Public Radio (NPR). While a Visiting Research Professor at the University of Pittsburgh, she developed and taught a course in Effective Advocacy.

Eleni is a political strategist and public opinion expert. In addition to serving as deputy campaign manager for a number of New York State political campaigns, she has conducted extensive polling for candidates in the East Coast. Eleni has also served as a consultant to labor unions and public policy groups, including BALCONY, the Business and Labor Coalition of New York, on issues such as health care, labor standards and tax equity. She previously worked as a reporter for foreign media outlets.

Nerissa came to The Opportunity Agenda after working as the Reigle Human Rights Staff Attorney at Justice Now, where she documented and publicized human rights abuses occurring in California's women's prisons.  Prior to that, she drafted bench memoranda for numerous political asylum appeals as an Immigration Law Clerk for the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.  While at NYU School of Law, Nerissa participated in the Juvenile/Criminal Defense Clinic, the Capital Defender Clinic, and internships at the Brooklyn Legal Aid Society, the NAACP-LDF, and the Public Defender Service of D.C.

Chris provides strategic media relations support, publications management, and coordination of many of the events and projects undertaken by the Communications Department. A former newspaper reporter, Chris has been working in nonprofit communications since 2005. Prior to joining The Opportunity Agenda he was the Director of Marketing and Communications for Safe Horizon, a nonprofit victims’ services agency in New York City.

Kisha brings over ten years of experience in accounting, human resources and office administration in both the non-profit and private sectors to her new role at the Opportunity Agenda.  Kisha spent five years in Workplace Financial Services at JP Morgan Chase Bank before leaving to serve as Finance/Payroll Manager for the non-profit Dance Theater Workshop in Manhattan.  Most recently, she handled human resources and general accounting for a software development firm in Atlanta, Georgia.

Julie works with a variety of non-profit staff on communication strategy, messaging, framing and media outreach.  She has worked in communications for non-profits on a range of issues including affordable housing, community development, family support, immigration, and the arts.  At Prevent Child Abuse America, Julie worked on a project to reframe child abuse prevention and family support messaging for the organization’s network of state and local programs.